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Cooking with Food Storage – Chili MIJ

Traditional Chili con Carne (but in a Jar)

Using mostly freeze dried ingredients, this is an easy dish to prepare for the pantry, ready when you need to pull a great meal together in less than half an hour. Meal in a Jar! Imagine that. LOL
*when my kids were little, one of our favourite story books to read was STONE SOUP. A hungry traveler convinced uncharitable villagers that he could make Soup from a Stone. Curious villagers contributed assorted ingredients, shaking their heads and musing “Soup from a Stone! Imagine that.” Well it wasn’t that long ago that the idea of a shelf stable Meal in a Jar was just as novel and just as curious to me. Now its a way of life, and I always have several on hand in the pantry – for times that a quick hearty meal will make the day go better, or when I want to send a meal out to someone who could use a lift.

Servings: 6
Time: 15 mins
Layer ingredients into quart sealer in this order:

2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp cumin powder
4 Tbsp tomato powder
1 Tbsp beef bouillon
3/4 t black pepper
1 Tbsp freeze dried garlic
1/4 cup freeze dried Chopped Onions
1/4 cup dehydrated red + green peppers
1 cup freeze dried Ground Beef
1 + 1/2 cup Instant Beans (which are parboiled and dehydrated) your choice of type
1/2 cup freeze dried Corn

1 quart of home canned tomatoes or 1 796 ml can of tomatoes (your choice of type)
4 cups water

Directions:

  1. if preparing a Meal in a Jar (MIJ), layer all ingredients in the jar. I like to arrange very neatly so that it looks nice. End with the corn – and put as much corn as you can to fill the jar.
  2. Put the lid on and label with name, date and brief instructions.
  3. Store in pantry for up to a year. It’s okay if you pass a year, but shoot to use it within a year. This is no longer long term ‘food storage’, it is intended for the convenience of a kitchen pantry. For up to 5 year storage, insert an oxygen absorber and vacuum seal.
  4. Dump contents of jar into a pot and refill the quart jar with water to add. Stir to combine thoroughly and dissolve spices. Add quart of tomatoes.
  5. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Stir and reduce heat to gently simmer approximately 20-25 minutes until beans are tender. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes.
  6. if you prefer to have chili soup, just add another 2 cups of water.

If preparing meal straight in the pot (without a jar), just put all dry ingredients in the pot, add water and canned tomatoes and follow directions above.

Serve with dollop of sour cream on top and corn chips. Or cornbread (see recipe for cornbread mix).

When I try a new recipe, I make the recipe once into the pot, and again into the jar. That way I can check the measurements that fit into the jar, and sample the soup to know how much I’d like to store. After we finish dinner, I know if I’d like to make a few more. I’ll make up to four jars to store of a recipe that we enjoy, to keep on hand in my pantry or to share.

Enjoy!

Cindy Suelzle